The Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings are set to clash next week in a season finale that will decide the NFC North division title — all under the spotlight of America’s football fans.

The Vikings defeated the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, improving to 14-2 and pulling a half-game ahead of the Lions in the division race.

Regardless of the outcome of Detroit’s Monday Night Football matchup with the San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota’s win guarantees that next week’s game will determine the division champion.

The NFL announced on December 29 that the game has been moved to the sole Sunday primetime slot, a designation reserved for the week’s most pivotal matchups.

Raven pointed out that the Lions have had a standout season, remaining undefeated in the division so far and aiming to finish perfect in the NFC North in their finale.

“The Lions are having their best regular season ever, dominating the NFC North and thriving on the road,” Raven wrote.

“However, the Vikings have stayed relentless all year, going undefeated since Week 8 and defeating the Packers in Week 17 to set the stage for this showdown.”

The game carries significant implications beyond the division. If the Lions beat the 49ers on Monday, the winner of next week’s game will secure the No. 1 overall seed and a first-round bye, while the loser would become the first 14-win wild card team in NFL history.

The matchup is also historically significant. ESPN’s Kevin Seifert noted that this will be only the fourth game in NFL history featuring two teams with records this strong.

“Sunday’s game in Detroit will be only the 4th in NFL history between two teams that are both 10+ games above .500, per @EliasSports,” Seifert wrote on X.

While the Lions won’t have the luxury of resting starters in Week 18, a win over the Vikings would give them a crucial first-round bye to recover.

As Billy Riccette of USA Today’s Lions Wire noted, this could be vital for the team’s health.

Running back David Montgomery, sidelined with a knee injury, is expected to return in two weeks.

“The expectation is for Montgomery to come back for the Divisional Round, giving the Lions extra motivation to secure the No. 1 seed and a bye,” Riccette wrote.